Relentless Ambition
by William Gale
Summary: FE10. Ike has left Tellius, left it in hands of his past comrades. Unbeknownst to most, a new scourge is on the rise. It's up to Yune's Chosen to prevent a new conflict. Mia, Aran, Boyd, Neph, Oscar, Rhys, Kieran, Naesala, Marcia, Ilyana & Kyza as main.
1. Prologue: A Shrouded Land

**Prologue: A Shrouded Land**

Tellius has long been known to be a land of many blessings and one sole curse. A continent spared from an aquatic grave by the Goddess, with the goal of proving peace could last for a millennium. Container of beauteous sights and innumerable marvels, it has adapted to change over the course of centuries without ever losing its natural gracefulness. It marks the birthplace of brave and talented heroes, from the valiant lion Soan to the respected Zelgius, with many more in between.

Yet it is also a land under a dark cloud, trapped and unmovable.

Tellius was cursed with the blanket of strife. Be it large or small, imperative or unimportant, it has seen more than it ever deserved to. The oldest troubles date back to the Zunanma conflicts, and descend all the way to more modern, more distinguished quarrels. The Battles of Ashera's Three Heroes, The Crimean Independence War, The Daein Freedom War, The Riots for Laguz Slavery Abolishment, the Crimea-Daein skirmishes, The Serenes Massacre, The Mad King's War, the Daein Liberation Movement, the war between the Laguz Alliance and the Begnion Empire, The Quest for Ashunera's Revival; all mark special time periods in the history of Tellius, all of them ran on bloodshed.

The people of the continent, Laguz and Beorc alike, were saved from complete annihilation four mere years ago. Saved by the hero Ike and Yune's Chosen. The memory of the three last wars still lingers on the air, the blanket was supposed to stay floating in this air for generations to come. But, once again, it has descended upon Tellius. Now, when the countries were all flourishing, prospering with newfound vitality.

However, times are not the same, and the people have barely had a chance to change. The hero Ike is long gone, sailed in a journey to lands unknown along with the Ranulf, advisor to the Beast King. The Greil Mercenaries are not what they used to be, diminished in number and drive. Yune's Chosen don't shine with the same intensity.

Nevertheless, they still radiate a glow. A shimmer that translates to hope.

The nations in Tellius have done nothing if not prosper. Slowly, but steadily, three new countries are emerging form apparently nowhere. First, Serenes, overseen by Reyson, the Heron Prince, has become independent from the Begnion Theocracy and has turned into a resting place of sorts, as well as a land for the unified Bird Tribes.

Next, the Soanvalke Settlement in the mountains north of the Grann Desert, has called for its own government. First founded by Stefan, the Trueblade, the settlement has everything it requires for becoming a great country. Everything except sturdy support.

Finally, Hatari, a nation so long unknown of, home to Beorc, Branded and Wolf Laguz alike, has stepped out of its solace across the Desert of Death and joined up in Gallia with King Skrimir. Yet it is obvious that the country of felines is not large enough.

Crimea, under the rule of Queen Elincia, sees progress in every field on a steady basis. Daein, on the other hand, has managed to almost completely regain its strength and morale so depleted by in the Mad King's War and the Liberation Movement under the rule of Queen Micaiah and King Sothe. Begnion, greatly aided by Empress Sanaki, finds more unification and peacefulness as the days go by.

The Laguz nation of Kilva-Phoenicis, recently integrated under rule of King Tibarn has managed to overcome most of the differences between the Ravens and the Hawks, and successfully built a strong Kilvan economy through trade. Meanwhile, the Dragon country of Goldoa has began opening its doors to foreign affairs and peoples after a thousand years because of King Kurthnaga.

And somehow, the blanket continues to fall uninterrupted.


	2. At Greil s Retreat

**Chapter One: At Greil's Retreat**

Gebal Castle, dubbed Greil's Retreat after the powerful hero slain in a battle nearby, shone golden with the rays of a sinking sun. The aroma of sweet apples lingered in the air. Vines climbed up its walls and moss covered the steps, but the castle was, undeniably, a spectacular phenomenon born of the work of both, sentient beings and nature. In other palaces, the dark, empty windows could seem frightening, terrifying, but in Gebal they were alluring, they called out to wanderers magically, promising adventure.

From the sky descended a feather, black, floating down smoothly, gliding in the currents of air that separated it from the ground. It landed near the entrance to the castle. As did a man. He had long, dark blue hair tied up in a pony tail, a smirk in his face and a black, but elegant, attire. He also had black wings.

Naesala, former King of Kilvas and the Ravens, walked towards a gravestone that marked the final resting place of Greil, founder of the Greil Mercenaries. He sighed, never had he met the hero, but he knew enough about him. Poor devil.

"So, you're Greil, eh?" Naesala said, staring down at the gravestone with a critical stare, he didn't know what he was doing, he just was. "Pity you died, and by Zelgius, the puppet, no less. I've heard about you some, mostly all because of what the big fur ball, Caineghis, shared." A moment passed, a moment that, had Greil been alive, would probably feel awkward. It was then that he noticed the scent of ripe apples.

Alas, the Raven continued, "We're not so different, you and I, Greil, you know that? We fought for our beliefs, not for the nations; we were deceived by Daein and branded traitors. We sought to protect at any cost. Heck, I had a son and a daughter, like you did." Every sentence, every phrase was spoken slowly, as if the previous Kilvan king were filled with doubt. "It's not easy, right? Doing what must be done even if it means defying…"

The winged man looked behind him at Gebal Castle. He would be spending the night there, laguz under the service of Skrimir tended to it as a sanctuary of sorts. There was always a warm bed inside, awaiting any wanderer seeking refuge for the night.

His ears perked up, there was someone nearby. Naesala wrinkled his nose, this someone was close too.

"I can tell you an important something that makes you the complete opposite of Greil." A deep male voice spoke. Naesala's gaze returned to the gravestone, a beorc clad in black and blue was leaning on it.

How admirable, the man had approached with barely any noise, and the smell of apples disguised his own. The laguz understood it then, he was being expected, the aroma had been a ruse. "Oh yeah? And what would that be?"

The beorc smiled, it was a gesture not of happiness but of amusement. "The fact that he was a beorc and that you're a _sub-human_," he said while his smile widened.

Naesala smelled more then, he only frowned. He turned around, facing the entrance of Gebal once again and ready to transform. But they were too fast for him, two archers came out from the castle, aimed and shot. When he looked down at his body, the Kilvan saw two arrows sticking out at him, it was the sight of these that brought the pain. He fell to the ground, plunging the arrows deeper into himself.

His mind threatened to pass out, but Naesala was too stubborn for it. He could do nothing yet he still wanted precious consciousness. After some minutes, between heavy breaths, he smelled something, someone, else, a familiar odor. He couldn't quite put his finger on who it was, and his closing eyelids were not helping either.

"Sir, two... beings are... approaching this… location. Orders?..." And Naesala finally passed out.


	3. They Leave

**Chapter 2: Unexpectations at Dusk**

_"Will you and Mia be fine? ... or rather, will _you_ be fine with Mia?" the red haired woman asked, concern clear in her voice. She wasn't even trying to hide it, her worry was genuine. Of course she trusted Mia, but having her as the protector of a sickly man – one of her closest friends no less – was unsettling. Really, the girl was talented, but her attitude before the face of peril wasn't the most reasonable she'd encountered._

_The man didn't even look up to see the woman. He was too concentrated with packing. A slight smile was plastered on his face, small but quite apparent. His excitement was nicely contained, but the woman knew him. She knew of his feelings toward the upcoming trip._

_"Titania, don't worry! I promise I'll be okay." He spoke with confidence, such a strange tone of voice for this man to have, "we won't let you down in any way."_

_Now, the redheaded woman was not worried about being let down. . . not too much, at any rate, but she felt a need to prohibit the upcoming expedition. She felt endearment toward each and every remaining member of the Greil Mercenaries, but particularly to the man standing before her, packing his books, his clothes into a rudimentary backpack. Her maternal instinct was directed toward the Mercenaries, and she was witnessing as one prepared to leave the nest for an indeterminate amount of time. She wouldn't be there to protect him, to keep him company._

_"Relax," the man whispered, finally looking up at her and meeting her stare. "Nothing can go wrong."_

_In a way, he was right, they'd been part of the team that had defeated the dark Goddess that'd threatened with wiping out all sentient beings in Tellius. And although she was hesitant to admit it, Mia had been a core part of the Tower Infiltration team. There was something to be said for the Trueblade. Yet, ever since Ike had left, Mia had become less a member of the Greil Mercenaries and more a freelance swordsgirl; without Ike to train with, she spent a good deal of her time travelling, leaving little time for the mercenaries, who needed her now the most. Rhys was a normal person in her absence, but in her presence, he radiated happiness. Titania didn't exactly approve._

_Then again . . . it was Rhys who'd be going with her. Titania could probably jive with anyone else accompanying the woman, but it was _Rhys_._

_The bishop smiled at her, an expression she was defenseless against, and spoke with the gentle conviction that characterized him. "We'll be back in a month. I promise. Mia's showing me her past training route. No danger whatsoever."_

_The redheaded would've indicated the clear paradox in what Rhys had said, but she was powerless against the angelical expression in his face. Puppy-dog eyes of sorts, but the man was not capable of such a devious tactic. She could not help but stare at the bishop as he exited his room._

_ Mia better take care of him. . ._

_"Rhys! You ready to go?" A cheery voice asked._

_The bishop smiled, not a wide smile, but a particularly big one coming from him. Energetically, he nodded. He was quite obviously excited for the trip, never had he clutched a backpack bigger than a pineapple with such excitement, never had he looked forward to an odyssey in which anything could be expected. His eyes gleamed, his anticipation was palpable._

_"Good!" Mia decided. With a sword in its sheath, her token orange garments and a small bag of assorted objects, the Trueblade ventured into the building Rhys had just stepped out of. If the bishop hadn't been as enthusiastic, he might've been worried about what could happen in there._

_Instead he listened to the sweet tone of Mia's voice as it informed Titania that they were already leaving. Titania whispered something back, too low for him to make sense of it. The redhead didn't worry about it, probably some precautions or some words of advice Mia didn't need. Really, he was convinced Mia knew everything she needed to know about lightweight travels._

_"Look, Rolf, I told you he still was here." A somewhat cold voice spoke up. Soren?_

_"He is!"An excited voice now – Rolf – and a giggle – Mist. _

_Rhys turned around to find the green-haired sniper hugging him strongly. Rhys' smile faltered some, but that didn't take away from its authenticity. Standing at his same height, Rolf had grown since Ashunera's Revival, but he maintained his joyful gestures and mannerisms. "Take care, okay?" He commanded._

_"Of course, Rolf" Rhys answered, earning him liberation from the hug. However, another person was quick to replace the sniper, albeit with a more calmed hug: Mist. She had become quite the eye-catcher in the last years, although she didn't appear to like anyone in return . . . not explicitly at least. Rhys only hugged back._

_As soon as he was released, the bishop was met with words from the tactician. "I hope you realize, Rhys, that without you and Mia our swordpower and healing abilities will be reduced by almost half. Gatrie and Titania are not comfortable swinging swords around yet, leaving Mist as the only candidate to substitute you both."_

_Normally, Rhys would have cringed at his words, but happiness was still installed deep in his heart. Weary of the archsage, he nodded, but reserved words as they could've given his enthusiasm away. Then again, Titania, Soren and Mist served as a triumvirate of leaders for the Greil Mercenaries of sorts. Each looked after different aspects of the company and excelled at what they did. Even if the mercenaries were short in number, they were not so in power. Perhaps Soren was not worried for the company, but for his and Mia's safety._

_. . . Or, not._

At any rate, the bishop smiled as he remembered the last moments he'd spent with his fellow mercenaries. Maybe they weren't perfect, but they were his family. Without their help, he'd never been able to send money to his parents. With them, he was not a sickly man, but a rather vital part of any strike team on whatever mission.

"I can't believe I forgot!" Came Mia's voice from beside him in alarm. Rhys turned his head to look at her, eyebrows raised, expression quizzical. Mia noticed his eyes in auburn inquiry and beamed at him. "Oh, I was only thinking back. . . remember that time I took you with the Commander to watch us spar and heal me every time he overwhelmed me?" Any other man would've become jealous, not Rhys. He knew Mia had been one of those whose Ike's absence had been the hardest on, he was her teacher, he taught her everything he could and she was genuinely thankful for that. It was because of Ike's departure that she traveled so much now, she looked for other ways to train that would be as effective as Ike's lessons. She hadn't been successful.

Nevertheless, Rhys nodded with a small grin. He, too, had forgotten about that particular event. "I think I broke an entire Heal in that session alone." He mused, much to Mia's pleasure. A veil of delicate, but not uncomfortable or dislikeable, silence fell over them, only the soft sounds of their boots brushing against fallen leaves on the forest were audible.

"Oh, Rhys, look at that! We're almost there!" Mia cheered before sprinting into a run.

Rhys followed suit, and, although his backpack was lighter, he could not catch up with Mia. He settled for asking between gasps for air, "Where exactly is 'there'?

To the bishop's relief, Mia stopped. Then, when she turned around with an expression of incredulity, he regretted asking the question. "It's Greil's Retr-"

Her words were cut short. As Titania had hinted, they were suddenly in inexplicable danger. Rhys, not realizing what exactly was happening, ran towards the Trueblade. He was determined to take whoever had knocked her down off of her.

"Rhys, run," Mia managed to yell. He hesitated. He did not even notice a second figure jumping straight towards him, as dangerous as the first.


	4. Unexpectations at Dusk

**Chapter 3: Unexpectations at Dawn**

One paw, then the other. Don't stop to catch your breath. Don't stop to think. Enemies, invaders, foreigners, strangers, unauthorized travelers. No chance to call reinforcements. The nearest town was too far away; the iron-carrying people were up ahead. No thoughts, no second chances. They had to act fast. Only a couple of strides were needed, long and lean strides, powerful strides. No time to catch your breath. No time to seek aid.

The gray-blue tiger looked up at his blue comrade up ahead. He also seemed lost in the thrill of the hunt. If they could call it such. Hunting, the roles of prey and predator were clearly established. Here, they were unclear, and the number of the other party was unknown. How very troublesome. He had received the finest training his country had to offer but two tigers alone would still have trouble if confronted by a large group of foes. If these invaders were, in fact, foes.

How very hard to believe. Foes, enemies. They'd fought a major goddess to restore order into the world. They'd done the impossible to save a chaotic continent. Yet, its inhabitants insisted on breaking rules, in creating strife. He did not want to admit it, but he could, to an extent, understand Ashera's feelings towards the lack of peacefulness they, as a territory, could achieve. More so, the conflicts appeared without prior notice mostly all of the times.

That day was exemplary. He'd been visiting an old friend he had not seen in the longest time, mainly due to the different lifestyles each led. Mind you, when one was such a diligent, dutiful soldier he had no time to skip around the forest. Mordecai could, he loved nature and the outdoors, wildlife and trees enchanted him, whereas he was more fond of interaction, more joyous around well-defined discipline.

Kyza jumped over a hedge, twigs scratching his underbelly as he did so. _There is also that,_ he thought. He, his species, could handle and find their way through the forest with relative ease, but it wasn't a comfortable place to be in. At the very least, he personally did not consider it so.

He caught a scent, ears perking up as he did so. The aroma was one he had not smelled in some time, he was familiar with it, but could not quite place it. Judging by Mordecai's ears, he also had recognized it. Nevertheless, they kept running with the same speed. They were close to some of the strangers, stragglers who'd wandered some paces away from the rest of their crew.

Mordecai growled.

Kyza bared his fangs.

The pictures Kyza saw were too clear. All their running had come to an end, they were about to see the first of those who'd stepped into their territory, armed. Paw, after paw, the gray tiger witnessed his blue colleague sprint into the road that they both knew lay ahead. A _thump_ was heard, and a subsequent yell. Using his nose as a guide, Kyza followed Mordecai´s movement, albeit in a direction slightly different. He was to land on the other straggler.

He jumped, claws at the ready. Just like that, he landed on a scrawny man, a redheaded young beorc male. In his tiger form, the laguz's common sense barely worked, everything was reduced to the fight. He raised a gray paw, thinking nothing of the man he was about to take a swipe at.

"Mordecai?" He heard, a female voice asked. Confused, Kyza lowered his nature-granted weapon and stared in the direction of the blue tiger.

Underneath him a young woman was sprawled, purple-haired and green-eyed. She was looking up at the tiger suspiciously. If she hadn't uttered his name, it was factual that Mordecai would've finished her off. The blue tiger snarled, but his eyes were fixed on the beorc. It took some seconds for the recognition to come.

Mordecai shifted back to humanoid form. A grin was already in his face by the time the transformation was complete.

"Mia!" He exclaimed. The beorc woman beamed.

Kyza looked confused, even in tiger form. He looked down at the man below him. Indeed, he did bear some resemblance to a young beorc he had met in the Laguz Alliance-Begnion war. He, too, shifted back.

Mia looked happy as ever to see both their tiger friends, more so Mordecai. The man who Kyza had tackled, however, was trembling, though he did appear as if he was trying to smile. Some beorc, the gray tiger thought, truly are weak of heart.

"Good afternoon, Lady Mia." Kyza started after they'd all dusted themselves off. Mia stared back, grin stretched over her face. "With all due respect, I wish to inquire as to why you are here."

At this, Rhys – the bishop Kyza had tackled – spoke up. "That-That's my fault, Sir Kyza. I asked Mia here to take me to Greil's Retreat. I. . . there's something I wanted to, uhm. . ." Ostensibly, he was trying to put the blame on himself. Kyza stared at him, waiting to hear the end of the excuse.

Mia elbowed Rhys in the chest, action that earned her a wince of mild pain from him (to which, of course, Mia was oblivious to). "Don't be silly, Rhys!" She half-scolded, half-joked. "We came here, Kyza, because it's the first step in our journey across Tellius!" Mia smiled again. Mordecai laughed. Why? Kyza couldn't guess.

"Let Mia and Rhys off, Kyza, they only traveling," Mordecai managed to choke out in between chuckles. His dominion over the modern language was not the best, but his efforts were slowly bearing fruit. However, now that he lived in the forest, alone, the big laguz did not practice it as often as before.

Kyza examined the two members of the Greil Mercenaries. Their surroundings went quiet. In a silence broken only by Mordecai's good nature, realization coursed through Kyza. "Lady Mia, Sir Rhys, you said you were traveling by yourselves, correct?" He questioned. Both of them nodded. Mordecai understood the implications of that then.

"We are not alone." Mordecai stated. Rhys and Mia exchanged confused glances.

Kyza answered. "Indeed, we are not." He meditated for a second. "You are not the only beorc we smelled before." He informed them. Trained as they had been as professional Gallian soldiers, the tigers ran for the cover of the nearest vegetation. Surprised at the mercenaries' not doing the same, Kyza signaled them to join them in hiding.

From the bushes they could see the clearing in which Gebal castle was built, as well as the castle itself. Kyza raised his nose, smelling the air, trying to find a clue as to where the other beorc where. No such luck, the wind had died down.

Neither of them dared move, neither of them dared make a sound. In this hesitation though, Kyza could only watch as something caught Mia's eye. Curious as to why the object she had spotted gleamed in the dusk, Mia moved to inspect the castle.

None of the men moved. Rhys was so pale, Kyza found it strange he had not passed out yet. The three pairs of eyes followed Mia. As she left the vegetation. As she walked through the forest clearing. As she walked up the steps to Gebal. And as she picked up a lone, black object.

Mordecai whispered, "That. . . that's a raven's feather."

Kyza's eyes widened. For whatever reason, the feather laying down sure could not signal anything good.


End file.
